John 16
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 16
1 “I have told you this
to prevent you from falling away.
2 They will expel you from the synagogues.
Indeed the hour is coming
when anyone who kills you
will believe that by doing so
he is serving God.
3 And people will do such things
because they have not known the Father or me.
4 But I have told you this
so that when the hour arrives
you may remember that I forewarned you about them.
The Spirit of Truth, Our Guide to All Truth[a]
“I did not tell you all this previously
because I was with you.
5 But now I am going away
to the one who sent me.
Not one of you asks me,
‘Where are you going?’
6 However, because I have told you this,
you are overcome with grief.
7 “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth:
it is better for you that I depart.
For if I do not go away,
the Advocate will not come to you,
whereas if I go,
I will send him to you.
8 “And when he comes,
he will prove the world wrong
about sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 about sin,
because they do not believe in me;
10 about righteousness,
because I am going to the Father
and you will see me no longer;
11 about judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
12 “I have much more to tell you,
but you would not be able to bear it now.
13 But when the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you into all the truth.
He will not speak on his own authority,
but he will speak what he hears,
and he will declare to you
the things that are coming.
14 He will glorify me,
for he will take what is mine
and communicate it to you.
15 Everything that the Father has is mine.
That is why I said
that he will take what is mine
and communicate it to you.
Triumph of Jesus and the Joy of the Witnesses[b]
16 “In a little while
you will no longer see me,
and then a short time later
you will see me again.”
17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘In a little while you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’? 18 What is this ‘little while’? We do not know what he means.”
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them,
“You are asking one another
what I meant by saying,
‘In a little while
you will no longer see me,
and then a short time later
you will see me again.’
20 Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will weep and mourn
while the world rejoices.
You will be sorrowful,
but your grief will turn into joy.
21 “A woman in labor suffers anguish
because her hour has come.
But when her baby is born,
she no longer recalls the suffering
because of her joy
that she has brought a child into the world.
22 In the same way,
you are now in anguish,
but I will see you again,
and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one shall deprive you of your joy.
23 “On that day,
you will not ask me anything further.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
if you ask the Father for anything in my name,
he will give it to you.
24 Until now, in my name,
you have not asked for anything.
Ask and you will receive,
so that your joy may be complete.
25 “I have used figures of speech
to explain these things to you.
The hour is coming
when I will no longer use figures,
but I will tell you about the Father in plain words.
26 When that day comes,
you will make requests in my name.
I do not say
that I will entreat the Father on your behalf.
27 For the Father himself loves you
because you have loved me
and have come to believe
that I came from God.
28 I came from the Father
and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world
and returning to the Father.”
29 “At last you are speaking plainly,” his disciples said, “and not using figures of speech. 30 Now we realize that you know everything and do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this, we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus responded,
“Have you finally come to believe?
32 I tell you, the hour is coming,
indeed it has already come,
when you will be scattered,
each one going to his own home,
and you will leave me alone.
And yet I am not alone
because the Father is with me.
33 “I have told you this
so that in me you may be in peace.
In the world
you will endure suffering.
But take courage!
I have overcome the world.”
Footnotes
- John 16:4 The disciples have to overcome sadness at the departure and absence of Jesus so that they may understand the meaning of the event: passage to glory, gift of the Spirit, and the beginning of a new era in the world. But until the end of history the trial of Jesus will not stop, and the disciples will have to testify to him in a world where unbelief appears unceasingly.
The testimony of Christians can never stop; such testimony does not depend on the intelligence and the strength of people but on the action of the Spirit, who unveils to Christians, in faith, the glory of Christ and the view that history takes of this light (Christ). It is not a matter of a new revelation but of a discovery of what the words, actions, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus mean for each era: the truth of God that denounces the falsehood of sin, the goodness of God that denounces evil, and the condemnation of the forces that enslave people. The Spirit is the Paraclete: defender of Jesus in the heart of believers, defender of believers facing unbelief and refusal of the light—that is, the world in the sense the world is taken here (Jn 15:5-15). The Spirit is strength, support, light (see Jn 14:16). - John 16:16 The departure of Jesus will be a moment of disarray for the disciples; his absence will more than once be a moment of disarray for believers. But that is not the last word. The sufferings, like the pains of giving birth, make a testimony fruitful. Let us rather look at the Death and Resurrection of Christ; they are the definitive events in history. From the cross and Easter a new light is given to believers; a new confidence with God is offered to them. Christ will be the mediator; with him believers will be one with God. This intimacy will be a time of endless joy and peace for people who have believed they are children of God.
What is the return of Christ? Is it the glorious coming at the end of time or the Resurrection manifested in the appearances? The two things go together. The Resurrection will inaugurate a new era, the last times; and the end of time will manifest the glory of the Risen One.
John 16
King James Version
16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
約翰福音 16
Revised Chinese Union Version (Traditional Script) Shen Edition
16 「我對你們說了這些事，是要使你們不至於跌倒。 2 人要把你們趕出會堂，而且時候將到，凡殺你們的還以為是在事奉 神。 3 他們這樣做，是因為沒有認識父，也沒有認識我。 4 我對你們說了這些事，是要在他們做這些事的時候，你們會想起我對你們說過的話。」
聖靈的工作
「我起先沒有對你們說這些事，因為我一直與你們同在。 5 現在我要到差我來的父那裏去，你們中間卻沒有人問我『你去哪裏？』 6 只因我對你們說了這些事，你們就滿心憂愁。 7 然而，我把真情告訴你們，我去對你們是有益的。我若不去，保惠師就不會到你們這裏來；我若去，就差他到你們這裏來。 8 他來的時候，要為罪、為義，為審判，指證世人； 9 為罪，是因他們不信我； 10 為義，是因我到父那裏去，你們將不再見到我； 11 為審判，是因這世界的統治者已受了審判。
12 「我還有好些事要告訴你們，但你們現在擔當不了[a]。 13 但真理的靈來的時候，他要引導你們進入一切真理。因為他不是憑着自己說的，而是把他所聽見的都說出來，並且要把將要來的事向你們傳達。 14 他要榮耀我，因為他要把從我領受的向你們傳達。 15 凡父所有的都是我的，所以我說，他要把從我領受的向你們傳達。」
憂愁變為喜樂
16 「不久，你們將不再見到我；再過不久，你們還要見到我。」 17 有幾個門徒彼此說：「他對我們說『不久，你們將不再見到我；再過不久，你們還要見到我』；又說『因我到父那裏去』。這是甚麼意思呢？」 18 於是門徒說：「他說[b]『不久』到底是甚麼意思呢？我們不明白他說甚麼。」 19 耶穌看出他們要問他，就對他們說：「我說『不久，你們將不再見到我；再過不久，你們還要見到我』，你們為這話彼此詢問嗎？ 20 我實實在在地告訴你們，你們將要痛哭，哀號，世人反要歡喜。你們將要憂愁，然而你們的憂愁要變成喜樂。 21 婦人生產的時候會憂愁，因為她的時候到了；但孩子一生出來，就不再記得那痛苦了，因為歡喜有一個人生在世上了。 22 你們現在也是憂愁，但我要再見到你們，你們的心就會有喜樂了；這喜樂沒有人能奪去。 23 到那日，你們甚麼也不會問我了。我實實在在地告訴你們，你們奉我的名無論向父求甚麼，他會賜給你們[c]。 24 直到現在，你們沒有奉我的名求甚麼，如今你們求就必得着，使你們的喜樂得以滿足。」
我已經勝過世界
25 「這些事，我是用比方對你們說的；時候將到，我不再用比方對你們說，而是要把父的事明白地告訴你們。 26 到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求；我並不對你們說，我要為你們向父祈求。 27 父自己愛你們，因為你們已經愛我，又信我是從 神[d]而來的。 28 我從父而來，到了世界[e]，又離開世界，到父那裏去。」
29 門徒說：「你看，如今你是明說，不用比方了。 30 現在我們曉得你凡事都知道，也不需要有人問你；從此我們信你是從 神而來的。」 31 耶穌回答他們：「現在你們信了嗎？ 32 看哪，時候將到，其實已經到了，你們要分散，各歸自己的地方，留下我獨自一人；然而我不是獨自一人，因為有父與我同在。 33 我對你們說了這些事，是要使你們在我裏面有平安。在世上你們有苦難，但你們要有勇氣[f]，我已經勝過世界。」
和合本修訂版經文 © 2006, 2010, 2017 香港聖經公會。蒙允許使用。 Scripture Text of Revised Chinese Union Version © 2006, 2010, 2017 Hong Kong Bible Society. www.hkbs.org.hk/en/ Used by permission.